Zombies and English
Zombies v. English Lets face it; this generation is obsessed with the apocalypse, not just any run of the mill doomsday scenario, but a flesh-eating, mindless zombie outbreak. Not only does the public fantasize about zombies in movies and hit TV series, but also in real life. Many have been preparing for this zombie apocalypse by building shelters, creating zombie fitness plans, and stocking up on weaponry. If a cataclysmic event such as this zombie Armageddon were to occur, the public would surely rely on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for vaccination, treatment, and precautionary measures. Several Hollywood directors have glamorized the CDC’s involvement in this particular pandemic; one of the most modern is AMC’s The Walking Dead. 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3FpIHEXMqE%7CThe Walking Dead Synopsis: Season 1, Episode 6' In this post-apocalyptic thriller The Walking Dead, zombies have plagued the earth outnumbering the few living by thousands. The main cast must then learn to survive while fending off the ravenous dead and competing with the living. In one episode, Rick the group leader decides their best bet at surviving is to travel to Atlanta, Georgia to the CDC for answers or even a safe haven. When the group arrives the CDC seems desolate and abandon. All seems bleak until they meet Dr. Edwin Jenner the lone survivor of the CDC’s scientist; he provides a faux safe environment and a sense of control to the group with food and shelter. But as they push the doctor for answers, he frankly states all hope is lost. Jenner futilely working on finding a cure for months has essentially given up hope. And his new solution? Blow up the CDC with the group and himself within it, but the group isn’t as willing as the doctor to end their lives. After a few minutes of pleading the doctor allows them to leave minutes before the CDC erupts in a fiery explosion. Can this blazing enactment somehow help the lives of academic writers? 'Analysis' Cables highest rated TV series ever The Walking Dead is obviously a hit- drama, and in order to keep the audience enticed the events unfolding have to be extremely melodramatic. For example the explosion of the CDC, in reality if there was a serious emergency there is no protocol for blowing up the establishment, but Hollywood has came to an earth-shattering conclusion. Explosions intrigue viewers, the bigger the detonation the better and quite possibly higher the ratings the more revenue the show will make. Also the portrayal of the CDC was extremely glamorized. The Walking Dead depicted the establishment as some dark futuristic laboratory that seems almost alien to the viewers. It is true that the CDC does have state of the art technology to deal with diseases, but most of the space within is offices and laboratories similar to most colleges. Showing the audience something they’ve never seen before is another tactic to keep them captivated. This episode also has an underlying tone of chaos and uneasiness. No matter how safe the group felt at one point in time, the audience as well as the characters knew that none of their problems were going to be resolved cowering in the CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/%7CSynopsis Synopsis of CDC.gov Almost 80% of the 313.9 million people in the United States use the Internet. There are many uses of the World Wide Web, but one of the most significant is the spread of news. In order to keep the public informed as well as create a sense of control over a potential pandemic, the Center for Disease Control has an easily accessible webpage. CDC.gov is a site dedicated for the most recent disease outbreaks, health and safety topics, and the latest news stories on medicine. A significant subdivision of this page is the Emergency Preparedness & Response. With any wide spread disease such as a zombie virus, it is good to be prepared and know the precautionary steps you should take. Within this section there are many crucial hyperlinks that allow the user to navigate with ease. Some of the most important are “Coping With a Disaster of Traumatic Events,” “Preparation and Planning,” “Communicating in the First Hours,” and “Laboratory Information.” These links provide all the necessary information to the general public in a quick efficient manner that is more appropriate for today’s society. 'Analysis' Rather than the material being dense and hard to understand, the Center for Disease Control’s webpage uses simple language to convey their emergency procedures in a calm and orderly fashion. In doing this, the information will be comprehended by a larger audience. Also just having this material on an easily accessible webpage and the page in general having a calm tone and demeanor lets the public know that the government has a plan in place and creates a sense that everything is under control. Another great feature of the CDC’s page is the format. When visiting the site, the user can easily navigate using hyperlinks, bolded headings, and images. This is crucial in times of an outbreak; taking immediate simple measures will save lives. 'Advice For Incoming Freshmen' When piecing an academic paper together it is always important to know your audience and know their expectations. When writing for academic reasons the reader or in particular your instructor is looking to make sure that you as the writer has fulfilled all the requirements of the prompt and not if they were thoroughly entertained by your piece. So metaphorically throwing in an explosion in your paper will most likely not get you the grade you had hoped for, but may get you some points for creativity. Also most academic papers require the typical MLA or APA format unless specified by your professor, so format innovation isn’t encouraged. Showing your teacher something they have never seen before can potentially cause an unsatisfactory grade. Another great tip to take into account for academic writing is keep your tone formal and unbiased. If your tone is informal or unclear it may confuse your readers. In keeping a formal tone your paper will seem professional and concisely convey your points. A great motto to write by is less is more. If you compact a ton of extensive information into one or two sentences the audience may have a more difficult time understanding your point, but if you succinctly and purposefully construct your sentences you’ll find that conveying your message is much simpler. Sources "Emergency Preparedness & Response." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p.. Web. 15 Apr 2014. . Frank , Darabont, dir. "TS-19." The Walking Dead. AMC: 5 Dec 2010. Television. "How Many PeopleUse the Internet Here's What They Are Up To ." The Cultureist. N.p., 9 May 2013. Web. 15 Apr 2014. .